Gough
A Welsh surname meaning “red” or “ruddy,” originally a nickname for someone with a reddish complexion or hair.
The #4,132 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 35,968 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Gough is generally explained as a Welsh nickname from the word gough, meaning “red” or “ruddy,” applied to someone with a red complexion or hair. Early records show spellings such as Goff and Goffe, and the name was sometimes treated as a personal nickname before becoming hereditary. Some older writers also connected it with related forms in Irish and Cornish usage, but the Welsh explanation is the standard one.
History
The name is well attested in medieval English records, including forms from Cambridgeshire in the 13th and 14th centuries. It became established in Wales and neighboring parts of England and later spread more widely in Britain and overseas. Variant spellings such as Goff and Goffe have long been common.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older surname dictionaries, Gough is often glossed simply as “red,” showing how often medieval surnames began as physical nicknames.
From the historical record
“bably in allusion to his constant attention to his public devotions. GOUGH. Welsh. Red— from com- plexion. GOULBORN. Golborn, townships in Cheshire and Lancashire. From the former, David, grandson of the patriarchal William Belward, baron of Malpas, originally as- sumed the name, in Norman times. GOULD. See Gold.…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom